Solar heater



Patented Nov. 22, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- WARREN l'. OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,'ASSIGNOB TO-A'TOIATIC ELECTRIC HEATER COMPANY,

OF DELAWARE OF POTTSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION SOLAR HEATER Application mea lay 7, 1927. seria; no. isaeoa.

. This invention relates to a 'fluid heating device and more particularly to a solar heater whereby a quantity of water contained within the heater is exposed to the rays of the sun for a period of time during which the temperature of the water is materially raised. y

The heater is especially adapted for use in sections of thecountry having atorrid cliable receptacle for future use.

The invention further contemplates replenishing the heater with cold water simultaneously as theY heated water is withdrawn and to then subject the cold water delivered to the heater to the suns rays to materially raise the temperature thereof as before explained.

' Another object of the invention is to provide independent means for heating the water at times when the suns rays are unavailable or when there is a considerable drain upon v the heated water inthe supply receptacle. v .Another object of the invention is to auto- A further object of the invention is to prodrawn from the heater and stored in a suit# matically control the supply of cold water to.k

vide a system in combination with the solar.

heater whereby the operation of the system is fully automatic so the attention of persons is eliminated.

With the objects above indicated and othery obj cts hereinafter explained in view, my 'invention consists in the `construction and combination 'of elements hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawing: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the solar same.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the system employed and showing the rear view of the solar heater in perspective with portions` broken away. i l

Fig. 3 is an elevational cross-sectional view of the heater, and

Fig. 4 is a wirlng diagram showing the means for automatically controlling the system.

In the drawing, represents generally a solar heater which maybe constructed in 'any desirable manner solong as the objects above indicated are obtained, but preferably as illustrated in the drawing.

This solar heater comprises a hollow rec- .beaten and the means for supporting the y tangular water heating device of suitable dil mensions and consists primarily of a back plate 11 anda heat-transmitting front plate 12 of copper or other suitable material, which plates are connected together by a channelshaped member 13 extending entirely around the outer edge ofthe plates to form a watertight chamber. v This chamber may be of any desired capacity and is adapted to receive the water to be heated by the rays of the' sun.

To further facilitate the heating of the water within the water chamber, the back plate 11 is provided with a plurality of proj ections 14, preferably stampedfrom the back portion thereof, and which extend inwardly into engagement with the inner surface of the copper plate 12. These projections 14 may be connected to the plate 12 by spot welding or other suitable means.

The solar 4heater is provided with a glass cover 15, forming the outer wallthereohand I is spaced from the copper plate 12 by a channel-shaped member 16, which is spot welded or otherwise suitably secured to the plate 12. A pair of felt washers18 are disposed on opposite sides of the glass cover 15 and the latlter is maintained in engagement with one legv of the channel member 16 by means of a clamping frame 17, bolted or otherwise secured to the outer surface4 of the channelshaped member 16.

It will be noted that this construction provides a suitable air space between the copper plate 12 and the glass 15 for the purpose of preventing the heat within the copper plate and water from passing ofi:I rapidly when the sun sets, but, if desired, the glass cover may be omitted.

. To maintain the heat within the solar heater andwithin the water compartment insulation 19 is applied to the'outer surface of the back plate 11 and around thechannel member 13, and this insulation is maintained in place by means of a cover member 20 which' entirely surrounds the outer and back surfaces of the water chamber and is secured by bolts or other suitable means to the channel member 16 adjacent the clamping frame member 17. This arrangement provides a water chamber insulated around the sides and back portion thereof andprovided with an enclosed air space adjacent the front thereof. As the glass 15 is of considerable sizeit is desirable to provide transverse reinforcing rods 21 spaced at intervals along the length of the `glass, as clearly `shown in Fig. 1, which may e attached to the frame 17 by bolts or formed integral therewith.

It will be noted far described that a hollow heater has been provided, which heater is adapted to contain a suitable quantity of water, adapted to-be heated by subjecting the latter to the suns ravs for a predetermined period of time.

The back plate 11 is provided with an inlet opening 22 at its lower portion, adapted to permit cold water to he supplied -to the heater and an outlet opening 23, at its upper portion, adapted to permit the heated water to be withdrawn from theheater. Upon the rear portion of the back plate 1 is a pair of oppositely disposed rods 24 and 25, welded or otherwise secured thereto, the outer ends of the rods being screw-threaded and journaled in supporting brackets 26 and 27. These brackets are eachprovided with anges 28 and 29 adapted to rest upon a suitable foundation, the proper supporting flange being selected depending upon the position in which the heater is supported.

Adjusting nuts 3 0 are positioned upon opposite sides of the brackets 26 and 27 and are adapted to lDe turned into engagement with both sides thereof so as to securely maintain the heater in the desiredvposition, it being desirable to adjust the heater so that the rays of the sun will be directed most efficiently through the glass 15 and into contact with from the construction so the copper'plate 12 for heating the water within the water chamber. An o ening is provided in the upper portion of t e heater and has mounted therein an arm of a thermostat 35, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.

While I have describedthe preferred con# struction of the solar heater it should be understood that changes and modifications maybe made without .departing from the spirit of the invention, the particular object of the invention being to provide a solar heater having an unobstructed 'chamber therein adapted to contain a quantity of water to be heated by exposure to the suns rays.

The system about to be described in combination with the solar heater isfound to be very eflicient and practicable, and the operation of the solar heater is .briefly as follows:

Cold water is introduced into the solar' heater until the watercompartment 1s completely filled and the glass cover 15 and the heater plate 12 of the heater, are adjusted so as -to be in a direct line with the suns rays. The water isv thus subi ected to the rays of the sun until the temperature thereof is raised to a predetermined degree, at which time the heated water is withdrawn from the solar heater and delivered to a suitable supply receptacle and the heater is supplied with fresh cold water. The operation is continued as before described so long as it is desired to obtain hot water.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2, a boiler 36 is suitably supported at a locationremote from the solar heater. This boiler is divided-i-nto two communicating chambers, the upper chamber 37 beine provided for the purpose of receiving the heated water and to maintain the same for future use while the lower chamber 38 is adapted to receive cold water delivered thereto from the cold water supply line 39. The upper portion of the chamber 37 is provided with an outlet `pipe 40 which may be connected to any suitable discharging'means. The lower portion of -the cold water chamber 38 is provided with an outlet pipe 41 which is connected to a suitable -water pump 42 of anv desirable construction. The pump 42 is actuated by a motor-44. The motor 44 will. actuate the pump to producca flow of water from the cold water chamber 38 of the boilerI 36 through the pipe 41, through the pump 42 through the pipe 43 to the inlet opening of the solar heater` thence through the heater,

discharging the water through the outlet opening 23, through pipe 45, and into the upper chamber 37 of the boiler 36 from where the water may be drawn olf as required through the outlet pipel 40. An air bleeder pipe 46 is connected to the pipe 45 adjacent the outlet opening 23 of the solar heater and extends down to a position adjacent the boiler 36, the lower end being provided with a manually operated valve 47.

The means for controlling` the operation of the motor 44 will be later described'but it here sutliccs to sav that this motor is actuated periodically and controlled by the thermostat 35- so that the water to be heated.

within the solar heater is permitted to remain for a predetermined period of time sufficient to raise the temperature of the water to a suitable degree.

It sometimes happens that the suns rays are not available, due to cloudy days, for example, and under such circumstances an inde pendent means is provided for heating the water which consists in an electrically heated element 48 positioned within the cold water chamber 38 of the boiler 36 and suitably connectedin an electrical circuit.

When this electrically heated element 48 is employed the v temperature of the water' is controlled by a thermostat 49 secured to the lower portion of the boiler 36 and extending inwardly within the cold water chamber 38. It has been found desirable to employ' this electrically heated element 48 on occasions when the suns rays are unavailable for heating the water'within" the solar heater and 'at times when the drain upon the hot water supply receptacle is in excess to the quantity of water being supplied by the solar heater. The thermostat 49 is also electrically conncctedwith the motor 44 and controls the operation thereof whenthe electrically heated element 48 is employed.

In Fig. 4 I haveshown the wiring diagram employed in the automatic` operation of the system,` It might be here stated that the thermosta-t's 35 and 49 are of a type employing the v Bourdon tube and adapted to contain a suitable heat responsive medium, theheating of which tends to ex and the Bourdon tube and the cooling of w ich tends to contract the Same.

It is" desirable to raise the temperature of the cold watersupplied to the solar heater 10` to substantially 140 F. and this may be done y by exposing or subjecting the Watery within the heater to the suns rays for aperiod of sub-` stantially four hours. During the heatingof this water the motor should remain idle butV when the temperature of the heated water reaches approximately 140 F."""the motor should be started, thereby actuating the pump 42 whichV dra-ws cold water from the cold water chamber 38 and forcesV the same upwardly through the inlet openingof the solar heater 10. This causes the heated water to flow out through the discharge opening 23 and into the hot water chamber 37 in the up-A per portion of the boiler 36. The operation of the motor 44 is controlled by the thermostat 35, -the Bourdon tube of which is pro-- vided with aparofr, movable contactmembers 50. When the temperature ofthe water rises to substantially 140 F. the contact members 50 are carried-upwardly, due to the e ansion of the tube, into engagement with t e contacts 51, one of said contacts being connected to the main l-ine 52 while the other of said contacts is connected by a wire 53 to one terminal of the motor. The other terminal of the motor is connected by the wire 54 to the other main line 55.? When the heated water within the 'solar heater 10 has-been withdrawn andreplacedby cold water the reduction in temperature contracts the VBourdon tube of the thermost'atf-' and breaks the contact between the contact members 50 and 51, thereby stopping the operation of the motor and the flow of coldwater to the solar heater. This cold Water within the heater is then sub- Ijected to the' suns rays for a similar period of time oruntil the temperature'has been raisedv to substantially 140, at which time the contacts 5 0 and 5 1 are again closed therebyl starting the motor. This operation is continued with each change of water within the solar heater 10. At times when it is desired to employ the heating element 48 -this heating element is automatically controlled by the temperature within the solar heater 10. When the temperature of the water Within the solar heater 'falls to substantially 100 the contracting of. the Bourdon tube of'the` thermostat 35 causesthe contacts 50 to engage with the contacts 56. One of the contacts 56 is connected lby wire 57 to the main line 52- while the oppositecontact is connected by a. wire 58 .to one end of theheating element 48. The opposite end of the heating element 48 is con' nectedto theopposite main line 55. When the temperatureof the water within the solar "heater 10 dropsto 100 orless the contractmember A59 which is connected tofthe wire 53 leading tol'the motor while an adjacent contact member 60-is connected by a wire 61 to 'the main line 52. When Vthe temperature of the water within the cold water chamber 38 rises to approximately 130, the'thermostat having been adjusted for this temperature causes the contacts 59 and 60 to close thereby p.

closing the circuit to lthe motor. The motor then actuates the pump 42 to withdraw the ,heated water within the chamber 38 and forces the same into the solar heater 10, the

entrance of this water into thesolar heater' forces the water within the solar heater into the hot Water supply receptacle 37. The opjections, to form with said .back plate and said projections, an inlet `for suppl 4 i,seaeac eration of the motor 44 continues until the water delivered to the solar heater 10 drops to ,100 F. or below, at which time the contacts 50 and 56 arepclosed and theheatin element 48- is again started. During the wit drawing of the heated water from the chamber 38 fresh cold water has been supplied by means of the mainv water supply line 39 and the'temperature of the water havgg materially dropped causes the contacts and 60 to` be disengaged thereby breaking the circuit tol the motor and stopping the flow of water tothe solar heater 10. This cycle`o operations continues automatically as long as the system is in operation.

`W'hile I have described the preferred arrangement of the system it is to be understood that I am not limited to the specific operation thereof, and modications may be resorted to without deviating from the spirit of the i11- vention as contained in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. VIn a solar heater, a hollow frame hav ing a back plate, said back vplate having hollow projections provided thereon, a heat transmitting plate secured to said frame and engaging said projections to form with said back plate and frame a water chamber, insulation for said back plate extending into water to said water chamber, and an-outlet t rclgh whichthe heated water is drawn off.

2. In a solar heater, a hollow frame having a back plate, said back plate having projections pressed therefrom, a heat transmitting plate secured to said frame and said proframe a water chamber, an inlet for supplying water to said water chamber, and an outle through which the heated water is drawn o 3. a solar heater, a hollow frame havingl a back plate, said back-plate havin tubular projections pressed therefrom, a eatA transmitting plate secured to said frame and cooperating with said projections to form with said back plate and frame a p water chamber, an inlet for suppl in water to said water chamber, and an out et t rough which the heated water is drawn olf.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto alix my signature. e f WARREN-F. CLARK.

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